The present application relates to the field of sights for firearms. More specifically, the present application relates to a rear sight for a firearm having a variable sight width.
A simple sighting mechanism for a firearm typically includes a front sight near the muzzle and a rear sight near the hammer or striker and shooter. When shooting, the front sight and the rear sight are aligned such that the positive shape of the body of the front sight is positioned within the negative space of a notch in the rear sight. When the front sight is centered relative to the rear sight, there is an equal amount of light, referred to as “light bars” on either side of the front sight as viewed through the notch in the rear sight. The width of the rear sight notch can affect the amount of light seen by the shooter.
With law enforcement training, competitive action shooting or self-defense training, when learning to shoot, an individual must learn to shoot accurately and then quickly. A narrow notch greatly aids or assists with learning to shoot accurately. Then once the individual can shoot accurately, they learn to shoot more quickly. A wide notch greatly aids or assists with this. Due to differences in personal preferences, shooting styles and techniques, for different users, the same rear sight design may be manufactured with a variety of rear sight aperture dimensions and/or designs.
Since the rear notch is machined/cut into the metal sight it cannot be quickly modified or changed. It can be machined to a larger size, but not to a smaller size. Modifying or changing a notch size involves securing it in a vice or a milling machine and then cutting metal away to increase the size of the opening. The sight then has to be refinished, blued and then reinstalled. To reduce the size of the rear notch would be even more time consuming and would involve removing the sight, filling the notch with a metal insert, welding the metal insert in place, machining the metal insert to match the sight's surface and then machining a smaller notch size
Another disadvantage of removing and reinstalling sights is the accumulative wearing of the fitted parts. Each time this is done, it alters the mating surfaces of the parts. This wearing out of fitted parts is not desirable. A sight that does not fit securely will move or “walk” each time the handgun is shot. This will result in inaccurate shot placement.
The problem of only having one size rear sight notch is an issue for both fixed and adjustable rear sights. The width and/or depth of the rear sight notch cannot easily be changed when training, cannot easily be changed when practicing engaging small targets or when engaging distance targets, and cannot be changed when going from day light to night time for carry.